Sixth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing of the Convention on Biological Diversity (ABS 6)
21 - 25 January 2008 | Geneva, Switzerland
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On Wednesday morning, the Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) met in plenary to hear a report from the contact group on the objective and establish a process to move forward. Following a break to allow for regional consultations, a contact group on the components of the regime met in the afternoon. A contact group on a draft decision to be considered by the Conference of the Parties (COP) met in the evening. |
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Working Group Co-Chair Timothy Hodges (Canada) opened the meeting, highlighting the progress made in the contact group on the objective, and noting the Co-Chairs’ intention to move forward with discussion on the main components of the regime. |
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Co-Chair of the contact group on the objective, René Lefeber (the Netherlands), highlighted the consolidated text on the objective as contained in a new non-paper on the international regime. |
Jan Borring, Norway, referenced the COP 8 decision calling for the facilitation of indigenous participation in the ABS negotiations. |
Matthias Buck, the EU, asked that the report of the meeting clarify the current status of the consolidated text on the objective as contained in the non-paper. |
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Joseph Toussaint, Haiti, called for technology transfer to be included as a key component of the regime. |
Echirk Djamel, Algeria, preferred to continue negotiating the regime's objectives before considering its main components. |
Following a query by Weizue Cheng, China, the Co-Chairs clarified that the contact group will focus on the objective and main components of the regime. |
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Co-Chair René Lefeber asked whether any party supported the text on the objective proposed in Tuesday evening’s contact group by the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity. |
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Co-Chair Pierre du Plessis called on delegates to make proposals with regard to the list of main components included in the non-paper on the international regime. |
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Carolyn Schwalger, New Zealand, proposed principles for traditional knowledge protection. |
On benefit-sharing, Matthias Buck, for the EU, suggested a number of measures. |
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Subject to benefit-sharing and prior informed consent (PIC), the African Group proposed access for environmentally sound uses and called for the protection of traditional knowledge and indigenous practices. |
Gurdial Nijar, Malaysia, for the Like-minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC), requested more time for consultations. |
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Girma Balcha, Ethiopia |
James Seyani, Malawi |
Ossama El-Tayeb, Egypt |
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Dave Gordge, Australia, proposed non-binding guidelines on benefit-sharing and referenced the CBD’s central provisions and the Bonn Guidelines. |
Jimena Nieto, Colombia, explained that GRULAC and the LMMC needed more time to respond. |
Mario Rodriguez, Mexico, asked the Co-Chairs for guidance regarding the status of the texts tabled by delegations.
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Sem Shikongo, Namibia, noticed increased convergence in the positions of different delegations and invited the Co-Chairs to develop a text reflecting this convergence overnight. |
Joseph Toussaint, Haiti, stressed the need for clarification of methodology and procedure. |
Fernando Coimbra, Brazil, expressed concerns about the contact group moving away from its terms of reference.
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The Co-Chairs consult and consider advice on the best way to proceed. |
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Web coverage:
Monday, 21 Jan - Tuesday, 22 Jan - Wednesday, 23 Jan - Thursday, 24 Jan - Friday, 25 Jan
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